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His husband wanted a divorce, so this man beat him to death, police say

PHOENIX – A 24-year-old man appeared in court Monday, accused of killing his husband after the man asked for a divorce.

Roommates of the pair called police to their apartment Friday to report a possible suicide, according to court records. Officers arrived to find Yacoub Aranda refusing to come out of a bedroom.

When one of the roommates forced the door open, police said they found a grisly scene.

"A significant amount of blood (was) on the floor, the bed and the walls," records state. Aranda had deep cuts on one of his arms and was lying in bed next to his deceased husband, who had obvious trauma to his head.

Aranda was rushed to a hospital, where he told medical staff that he had also swallowed more than 20 prescription pills, court records show. He was charged Sunday after being released from the hospital.

During an interview with the police, Aranda said he had hurt his husband but did not remember how, records show. The husband's identity was not in court records, and police had yet to provide it Monday morning.

Witnesses told police that in the days before the murder, the husband told Aranda he wanted a divorce and desired to move out, records detailed.

Court records go on to say Aranda was "extremely jealous" of his husband and often would stalk and accuse him of cheating. According to witnesses, the stalking and accusatory behavior worsened in the weeks leading up to the incident.

Aranda is facing a charge of first-degree murder and is due in court Aug. 20. He was being held Monday in a Maricopa County jail in lieu of a $250,000 cash bond.